Value of a Human Life in TX: Apparently Less Than $150.00

[NanuqoftheNorth 5,402]

Texas Man, Ezekiel Gilbert, Acquitted For Killing Craigslist Escort Lenora Ivie Frago

 

 

A Texas jury has acquitted a man of murder in the death of a prostitute on the grounds that he was entitled to shoot her because she had “stolen” his property by taking his money but not having sex with him. The jury accepted Ezekiel Gilbert's claim that he was only trying to retrieve his money when he shot 23-year-old Lenora Ivie Frago -- an escort who he met on Craigslist -- in the neck on Dec. 24, 2009, and hadn’t meant to kill her.

 

According to the San Antonio Express-News, the altercation began on Christmas Eve when Frago arrived at Gilbert's home, accepted $150 from him for what he believed was payment for sex, and then left. In court, Gilbert testified that Frago spent 20 minutes inside his apartment before she left, telling him that she needed to pay her driver.

 

Frago was paralyzed by Gilbert's gunshot wound, and died seven months later. Defense attorneys Bobby Barrera and Roy Barrera Sr. claimed that Frago's "driver" had been her pimp, and argued that under Texas law Gilbert had been within his rights to use deadly force to recover his stolen property.

 

The Texas law allows citizens to use such force to “retrieve stolen property at night” or to hinder a burglar from escaping the scene of a crime during the night, as long as the person “reasonably” thinks that they have no other means of protecting their property, Think Progress reported.

 

“I sincerely regret the loss of the life of Ms. Frago,” Gilbert said Wednesday. “I've been in a mental prison the past four years of my life. I have nightmares. If I see guns on TV where people are getting killed, I change the channel.”

 

Prosecutors argued that the act of solicitation undercut the defense’s claim, telling jurors that the Texas statute was intended for “law-abiding citizens,” not for those trying to force others into prostitution. After hearing the not-guilty verdict, Gilbert reportedly broke down into tears and hugged both of his attorneys. He told reporters outside the court that he thanked God, the Barreras and the jurors for their ability to “see what wasn’t the truth,” and to give him a “second chance.”

 

http://www.ibtimes.com/texas-man-ezekiel-gilbert-acquitted-killing-craigslist-escort-lenora-ivie-frago-1295593

[mav1234 3,115]

wow.

[Floppin 4,684]

fuging Texas. That's right guys, if someone takes your lawn gnome and you don't think you have any other alternative to getting it back (how do you fuging prove otherwise?) you can just shoot that bastard in the head and take your fuging lawn ornament back. Huzzah!

[Jase 11,289]

Who among us hasn't killed a hooker or two?

[NanuqoftheNorth 5,402]

fuging Texas. That's right guys, if someone takes your lawn gnome and you don't think you can any other alternative to getting it back (how do you fuging prove otherwise?) you can just shoot that bastard in the head and take your fuging lawn ornament back. Huzzah!

 

To be fair to Texas, you might get into trouble for killing someone if you lawn gnome was worth less than 150.00.  Just saying.

[Floppin 4,684]

To be fair to Texas, you might get into trouble for killing someone if you lawn gnome was worth less than 150.00.  Just saying.

 

I have some pretty high class lawn ornaments. 

[Chimera 3,336]

I have some pretty high class lawn ornaments.

Alicejandro?

[Gazi 2,289]

I'm amazed that I never read a story of a father of one of those victims getting justice the old fashion way. If my child was murdered or raped and the killer/rapist just walked away he would have wished he was convicted 

 

Am I alone in this?

[Gazi 2,289]

Texas ***** are proud of these laws no matter the race or their background. 

[GOOGLE JIM BOB COOTER 2,988]

come on now he's just a good ol boy who made a mistake. haven't we all made mistakes? boys will be boys

 

“I've been in a mental prison the past four years of my life. I have nightmares. If I see guns on TV where people are getting killed, I change the channel.”

 

now this dude can't even jerk it to war porn without being reminded of the time he brutally murdered a woman who had refused to have sex with him. time served if you ask me